How To Increase Engagement With Gamified Video

By now, most of the marketing world is embracing the idea that video is the new king of content. With recent data placing the medium firmly at the top of the Facebook food chain, a sea of competition is nearly inevitable moving deeper into the year.

This presents obvious challenges for brands that want to not only stand out, but to also harness the power of video to influence consumer behavior. So how can we move beyond simply entertaining an audience in order to encourage action and meaningful engagement? One possible solution from the arsenal of tried and true tactics is gamification: the application of game and “play” thinking to non-game scenarios.

While this term has arguably slipped into buzzword territory over the past few years, it is for good reason. Gamification increases audience retention and engagement, and it can provide a particularly positive user experience for fans on mobile. As recently as this month, Forbes “BrandVoice” contributors suggested that gamification also positively impacts bottom lines.

Historically, mobile apps have been a key component of the most sophisticated programs, with Nike’s “Nike+” app commonly cited among early success stories. While this and similar programs certainly serve as strong examples of gamification, brands who may lack substantial development budgets shouldn’t feel excluded. Simple, in-the-newsfeed games can be just as effective and encourage repeat visits to your page when released in a series. Combine this with video, and you’ve got a potential recipe for success in 2015!

Still struggling to make the connection between content and gamification? Below are some ideas for transforming your videos into playful and robust interactive experiences:

Create a moving puzzle for your fans to solve

Auntie Anne’s did this with a variation of the popular sleight of hand “cups” trick. Subsequent video or stills can reveal the solution to your fans, or move them to a next step in a longer “choose your own adventure” journey.

Consider User Experience

In the example above, fans can participate even if they are quickly scrolling the News Feed with the volume on mute. Always consider where your video is living and how motivating the rewards are when establishing things like length and call-to-action.

Recognize Participants

While prizing can certainly incentivize participation – never discount the power of simple recognition. Many gamers are in it for the personal bragging rights. Consider rewarding correct answers with a shoutout or digital “award” that a player can share with his or her personal network. The user will feel rewarded and your message will be amplified beyond the base audience.